Multifilament lamp



Dec. 13, 1938.

F. J. MAJOR MULTIFILAMENT LAMP Filed Feb. l, 1937 Patented Dec. 13, 1938UNITED STATES MULTIFILAIVIENT LAMP Forrest J. Major,

Ocean Park, Calif.

Application February 1, 1937, Serial No. 123,446

9 Claims.

This invention has for an object the provision of a multi-filament lamp,in which a selected one or more of the filaments may be energized atwill Without removing the lamp from its socket, and wherein a fuseelement protecting said filaments is arranged to be readily replacedwhen burned out, all, whereby to produce at a low cost a lamp havingmuch longer life than the ordinary single filament lamp and in which theintensity of the light may be varied as desired depending upon thenumber of filaments energized.

'Ihis invention also relates to and embodies improvements inincandescent lamps of the type forming the subject matter of myapplications lamp, led February 28, 1936, Serial Number 66,160, andIncandescent lamp, filed August 3, 1936, Serial Number 95,329.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficientselector means consisting of a few parts and adapted to be readilyoperated at will while the lamp is mounted in a socket, to connect oneor more of the several filaments in the lamp circuit or to disconnectall of said filaments from the lamp circuit. n

A further object is to provide a lamp of the character described whereinthe one or more of the several filaments may be energized throughmanipulation of a pull cord actuated selector means forming a part ofthe invention.

I have shown a preferred form of my invention in the accompanyingdrawing, subject to modification within the scope of the appended claimsWithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of -the lamp of thisinvention taken. on line I-I of Fig. 2, Fig. 2 is an enlarged crosssection taken on the plane of 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a section takenon the plane of line 3--3 of Fig. 1, Fig.' 4 is a fragmentary sectionshowing a portion of the pull cord means, Fig. 5 is a fragmentarysection showing the pull cord selector means, Figs. 6, 7, 8v and 9 arediagrams'showing various positions of the selector means. i

One embodimentv of the lamp comprises a bulb I.having a neck 2 cementedto a conductor sleeve 3 provided with a screw threaded end 4. This bulbcontains a plurality of filaments 5 having a. common ground conductor 6connected at I to said sleeve. A nonconducting plug 8 closes sleeve 3and has a lamp contact terminal 9 thereon which with the sleeve lisadapted to engage for patents respectively entitled: IncandescentA inthe usual manner the lamp socket contacts not shown.

The electrical circuits for the filaments are completed by the switch orselector means of my invention whereby one or more of the filaments maybe energized as desired, depending upon the adjustment of said selectormeans. This means comprises an annular nonconducting band I0 secured byrivets II to the inside of the sleeve 3 which latter is open at pointsopposed to said bands as by means oi the openings in slots I2. Springcontacts I3, I4 and I5 are secured to said band by means of hollowrivets I6 and extend through the slots I2 so as' to be fully andpermanently spaced, however, from contact withv said sleeve. Filamentconductors I'l are extended through the rivets I6 and soldered theretoto connect said contacts with said filaments.

Rotatably mounted on the sleeve 3 is a non- I turned. The' contactsegment I9 is at all times electrically connected with a contact 20corresponding to the contacts I3, I4 and I5, and secured in like mannerto the band I0. Contact 20 is connected with `lamp terminal contact 9 ashere shown, by means of a. conductor 2 I, a contact 22 on the plug 8 anda fuse element 23 which latter is connected with said lamp terminalcontact. This fuse element will provide protection against untimelyburning out of the filaments and may be readily replaced when burnedout, withoutl otherwise disturbing the lamp. However, if desired thisfuse may be eliminated and an ordinary conductor used to connectcontacts 20 and 9.

It will be noted that the coacting faces of the contacts I 3, I4, I5 and20 and contact segment Il may be curved in cross section whereby saidcontacts ,will effectively hold the selector ring I8 againstlongitudinal displacement onlthe sleeve 3 while permitting said sleeveto rotate freely.

As shown in Fig. 6 the selector ring serves as an open switch and thefilaments are deenergized. By turning the ring to the right to theextent indicated in Fig. 5, the filament connected with the contact I3will be energized as the circuit for said filament will be establishedthrough the contact segment I9 which is at all times connected with the1amp terminal contact 9 by means of the contact 20, conductor 2|,contact 22, and fuse element 23. As the selector ring is further rotatedas Shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the other filaments will be progressivelyconnected in the lamp circuit so that depending upon the adjustment ofthe selector ring, one, two or three filaments may be energized asdesired.

To provide for operation of the ring I8 when the lamp is mounted out ofthe reach, a pull cord is employed, said cord being of any desiredlength depending on the height of the lamp. As here shown the cord 25has one end thereof secured to a retractile spring 28 which is mountedin the grooved upper side of the ring I8 and has one end fixed as at 21to the sleeve 3. After partly encircling the sleeve 3 the cord 25extends through a groove 28 in said sleeve downwardly between the ringI8 and said sleeve and thereby hangs from the lower edge of said sleeve.On the spring 26 is a pawl member 29 adapted to cooperate with thecircular series of ratchet teeth 3B formed on the rirrg I8. With eachpull of the cord 25 the spring 28 will be stretched and the paWl 29 willengage with one of the teeth 30 whereby to turn the ring I8 as necessaryto connect one or more of the filaments in the lamp circuit. Uponrelease of the cord' the spring 26 will move the pawl 29 free of theteeth 30 without turning the ring I8 and the pull cord operating meanswill return to normal position.

I claim:

l. An incandescent lamp comprising a bulb, a plurality of filamentstherein, a sleeve of conducting material secured to said bulb, a closureof nonconducting material in the outer end of said sleeve, a lampterminal Contact on said closure, a common ground conductor for saidfilaments and connected with saidl sleeve, an insulating member fixedupon the interior of said sleeve, said sleeve having openings therein atpoints thereof which are opposed to said insulating member, a selectorring of insulating material rotatable upon the exterior of said sleeveand having a groove therein registering with said openings, a contactsegment fixed in said groove, spring contact members fixed to saidinsulating member and extended through said openings without contactingsaid sleeve and disposed within said groove in position to be engaged bysaid contact segment upon turning of said ring, conductors connectingsaid filaments Withl certain of said spring contact members, and meansfor connecting one of said contact members with said lamp terminalcontact.

2. An incandescent lamp comprising a bulb, a plurality of filamentstherein, a sleeve of conducting material secured to said bulb, a closureof nonconducting material in the outer end of said sleeve, a lampterminal contact on said closure, a common ground conductor for saidfilaments and connected with said sleeve, an insulating member fixedupon the interior of said sleeve, said sleeve having openings therein atpoints thereof which are opposed to said insulating member, a ring ofinsulating material rotatable upon the exterior of said sleeve andhaving a groove therein registering with said openings, a contactsegment fixed in said groove, spring contact members fixed to saidinsulating member and extended through said openings without contactingsaid sleeve and disposed within said groove in position to be engaged bysaid contact segment upon turning of said ring, conductors connectingaid filaments with certain of said spring contact members, and means forconnecting one of said contact members With said lamp terminal contact,said spring contacts having their longitudinal axes disposed in ahorizontal plane.

3. An incandescent lamp comprising a bulb, a plurality of filamentstherein, a sleeve of conducting material secured to said bulb, a.closure of nonconducting material in the outer end of said sleeve, alamp terminal contact on said closure, a common ground conductor forsaid filaments and connected with said sleeve, an insulating memberfixed upon the interior of said sleeve, said sleeve having openingstherein at points thereof which are opposed to said insulating member, aring of insulating material rotatable upon the exterior of said sleeveand having a groove therein registering with said openings, a contactsegment fixed in said groove, spring contact members fixed to saidinsulating member and extended through said openings without contactingsaid sleeve and disposed within said groove in position to be engaged bysaid contact segment upon turning of said ring, conductors connectingsaid filaments with certain of said spring contact members, and meansfor connecting one of said contact members witlnv said lamp terminalcontact, including a fuse fement.

4. An incandescent lamp comprising a bulb, a plurality of filamentstherein, a. sleeve of conducting material secured to said bulb, aclosure of nonconducting material in the outer end of Said sleeve, alamp terminal contact on said closure, a common ground conductor forsaid filaments and connected with said sleeve, an insulating member xedupon the interior of said sleeve, said sleeve having openings therein atpoints thereof which are opposed to said insulating member, a ring ofinsulating material rotatable upon the exterior of said sleeve andhaving a groove therein registering with said openings, a contactsegment fixed in said groove, spring contact members fixed to saidinsulating member and extended through said openings without contactingsaid sleeve and disposed within said groove in position to be engaged bysaid contact segment upon turning of said ring, conductors connectingsaid filaments with certain of said spring contact members, and meansfor connecting one of said contact members with said lamp terminalcontact, including a. fuse element removably held in said closure.

5. An incandescent lamp comprising a bulb, a plurality of filamentstherein, a sleeve of conducting material secured to said bulb, a closureof nonconducting material in the oter end of said sleeve, a lampterminal contact on said closure, a common ground conductor for saidfilaments and connected with said sleeve, an insulating member fixedupon the interior of said sleeve, said sleeve having openings therein atpoints thereof which are opposed to said insulating member, a ring ofinsulating material rotatable upon the exterior of said sleeve andhaving a groove therein registering with said openings, -a contactsegment fixed' in said groove, spring contact members fixed to saidinsulating member and extended through said openings without contactingsaid sleeve and disposed Within said groove in position to be engagedAby said contact segment upon turning of said ring, conductorsconnecting said filaments with certain of said spring contact members,and means for connectingv one of said contact members with said lampterminal contact, said insulating member being of annular form, openingsin said sleeve being elongated and said spring contact members extendingin the direction of the length of said openings.

6. An incandescent lamp comprising a bulb, a plurality of filamentstherein, a sleeve of conducting material secured to said bulb, a closureof nonconducting material in the outer end of said sleeve, a lampterminal contact on said closure, a common'ground conductor for saidfilaments and connected with said sleeve, an insulating member fixedupon the interior of said sleeve, said sleeve having openings therein atpoints thereof which are opposed to said insulating member, a selectorring of insulating material rotatable upon the exterior of said sleeveand having a groove therein registering with said openings, a contactsegment fixed in said groove, spring contact members xed to saidinsulating member and extended through said openings without contactingsaid sleeve and disposed Within said groove in position to be engaged bysaid contact segment upon turning of said ring, conductorsv connectingsaid filaments with certain of said spring contact members, and meansfor connecting one of said contact members with said lamp terminalcontact, a spring secured at one end to said shell and extending partlyaround the upper side of said ring, a pull cord connected with saidspring and depending from said lamp, said ring having teeth therein anda pawl carried by said spring for engaging said teeth.

7. An incandescent lamp comprising a bulb, a

plurality of laments therein, a sleeve of con-` spring contact membersfixed to said insulating member and extended through said openingswithout contacting said sleeve and disposed within said groove inposition to be engaged by said contact segment upon turning of saidring, conductors connecting ,said laments with certain of said springcontact members, and means for connecting one of said contact memberswith said lamp terminal contact, including a fuse element, and means forrotating said ring including a pull cord connected with and dependingfrom said ring.

8. A multi-filament incandescent lamp comprising al base includingterminal contacts, a bulb attached to said base, filaments in said bulband switch means on said base for connecting one or more of saidfilaments with said terminal contacts, including a movable actuator andcontacts operating to retain the actuator on the base to connect one ormore or said filaments with said terminal contacts upon movement' ofsaid actuator, an insulation ring xed within said base, said base havingopenings therein and means for afxing certain of said switch contacts tosaid insulation ring said switch contacts extending through saidopenings and having their free ends engaged with said actuator, saidactuator having -a groove therein for reception of said `free ends.

9. A multi-lament incandescent iamp comprising a base including terminalcontacts, a bulb attached to ,said base, laments in said bulb, andswitchmeans on said base for conn 'necting one or more of said filamentswith said terminal contacts and including a ring mounted interiorly ofthe base, a movable ring mounted exteriorly of the base, said movablering having a groove therein and contact members carried by said ringsadapted to be variously engaged upon movement of said movable ring forconnecting one or more of said filaments with said terminal contacts,certain of said switch contacts engaging in said groove for retainingsaid movable .ring upon the base.

FORREST J. MAJOR.

